Unified trim for door lock units



Aug. 29, 1967 M. KENDRICK UNIFIED TRIM FOR DOOR LOCK UNITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTOR. Amaze/v A z-wae/c/r BY W zzfla M. KENIIDRICK 7 3,338,613

UNIFIED TRIM FOR DOOR LOCK UNITS Filed Oct. 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

M4090 Ki/vpe/cx Fae WW jaw ATTOPNEKJ' United States Patent 3,338,613 UNIFIED TRIlVI FOR DOOR LOCK UNITS Marron Kendrick, Atherton, Califi, assignor to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,109 6 Claims. '(Cl. 292347) My invention relates to builders hardware and primarily to the trim portion of lock units usually installed on room doors.

In building construction, it is desirable to enclose some of the rooms early in the building operation and to provide the room doors with lock units. Customarily, lock units are highly finished for attractive appearance, yet early installation subjects them to damage by splattered plaster or paint spots or abrasion or denting. This increases the cost of the job because cleaning and repairing the lock units is necessary. Sometimes temporary lock units are installed. This involves capital investment and substantial labor for replacement upon installation of permanent lock units.

The customary trim for a lock unit includes a handle to be grasped by the users hand and may include a rose or escutcheon plate placed against the face of the door. If the rose or escutcheon plate is omitted, the users hand rubs or scrapes against the door face. The escutcheon plate prevents direct manual contact and also hides openings in the door for the installation of the lock unit. The finish of the rose or escutcheon plate customarily matches that of the door handle. There are many different finishes as to color and as to polish and decoration. They are costly. It is also costly to keep track of the various parts of a lock unit for factory assembly and for job assembly so that they are correctly matched and so that the expensive finish is not harmed.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved door lock unit inclusive of unified trim.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unified trim for door lock units permitting easy installation of working trim and of final trim.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unified trim for door lock units as an improvement over trim heretofore supplied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unified trim in which the door handle operation is easier and pleasanter and more acceptable to the user than before.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unified trim readily adaptable to all sorts of doors and locks units.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a unified trim for door lock units in which the cost of finishing the lock units is substantially reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unified trim for door lock units, the unified trim being more nearly tamper-proof and of increased strength over trim presently available.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross section on a vertical, axial plane through one form of unified trim constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in connection with one kind of door lock unit installed on a door;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of one form of a support sleeve utilized in the particular unified trim arrangement disclosed herein;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view, with portions broken away, showing a modified form of unified trim;

FIGURE 6 is a view comparable to FIGURE 5 but showing a further modified form of unified trim;

FIGURE 7 is a view comparable to FIGURE 5 but showing a still further modified form of unified trim;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view showing in cross section a detail of a unified trim arrangement employing an acoustic dampener; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation showing the relationship of one form of unified trim and the hand of a user.

The unified trim pursuant to the invention can be embodied in a number of different ways and can be installed in many different environments, as exemplified by the showing in the accompanying figures. Since it is impractical to show and describe all the many forms the invention may actually take, I have complied with the law by showing and describing herein only one form of the invention as an example. In this particular arrangement, arbitarily chosen for disclosure, the mechanism is installed on a door 6. This is a regular, planar panel arranged to swing about a vertical axis and is partly bounded by an inner face 7 and an outer face 8. The face designations are arbitrary since either side of the panel can be considered the inner face with the other face then becoming the outer face. These faces are generally fiat. Their distance apart varies within limits from door to door.

The door panel is moved about is axis by the user. For the purpose, a handle is provided. Handles may be disposed on one or both sides of the door and may simply be fixed in position or one or both of them may be moved relative to the door. A handle may take any form. For example, it can be shaped like a lever and can be mounted to turn about any selected axis or it can be shaped like a knob or button and can be mounted to turn about an axis or can be arranged to be pushed or pulled. By reference to a handle in the description and claims herein, I intend to include any device for use by the door user for effectuating movement of the door panel no matter how the device is mounted and no matter of what contour the device may be.

To illustrate one embodiment of my invention, I have chosen a cylindrical lock unit, although no lock at all or a mortise lock could equally well have been used as an example. The preparation of the door panel for reception of any kind of lock unit is well known.

Extending through the door panel from face to face is a generally circular cylindrical opening 9 in which part of a lock unit 11 is installed. This unit may be of cylindrical construction and may involve the actuation of a lock bolt or of a latch bolt. Since these parts of the lock unit have nothing to do with this invention, they are not disclosed in detail. The lock unit 11 includes a hub 12. In some locks, the hub is within the door panel, but in this instance the hub projects beyond the face 8 of the door and is symmetrical about a transverse axis 13. Passing through the hub 12 is a spindle 14 adapted to engage with the mechanism of the lock unit. The spindle in this instance is tubular and extends outwardly beyond the face 8 of the door along and concentric with the axis 13. Motion of the spindle relative to the door panel, in this instance a partial rotation of the spindle 14, is effective to operate the lock unit mechanism.

The hub 12 is surrounded by a mounting plate 16. This is a disc-like member arranged concentrically with the axis 13 and extending into a suitable seat 17 in a bushing 18. The bushing 18 may be permanently connected to the hub 12 either in a stationary fashion or for relative rotation by means of a crimped lip and flange construction. This is the preferred arrangement when the structure is located on an exterior face of the door in order to m k unauthorized disassembly of the lock unit more difficult. In the present instance, however, the connection between the bushing 18 and the hub 12 is preferably effected by internal threads on the bushing engaging external threads 19 on the hub. At one or more points on its extended periphery the bushing has a recess 21 for receiving the pin of a spanner, so that upon rotation the bushing moves the mounting plate 16 toward and away from the face 8 of the door. When the bushing is moved toward the door, the mounting plate 16 is pressed firmly thereagainst.

To preclude rotation of the mounting plate during rotation of the bushing, the mounting plate at appropriate intervals has sharp points 22 which enter into and engage with the material of the door, usually wood, and thus serve as anchors against mounting plate rotation. By this means, approximately duplicated on the other side of the door, the lock unit is appropriately secured to and mounted on the door 6.

Particularly pursuant to the invention, I provide a trim for the lock unit mounted in a fashion so that the trim conceals most of the parts of the lock unit, In this Way, the finish of the internal, unexposed parts of the lock unit is of no aesthetic importance and can be provided in the best fashion for economy and mechanical and functional advantage.

Connected to the spindle 14 is a handle. While this can be of any desired shape, such as a lever, button or knob, it preferably takes the form of a knob 26 of particular configuration and function. The handle or knob is inclusive of three principal portions. These portions are not precisely delimited, although they are identifiable from their locations. The outer portion 27 of the handle or knob is spaced farthest from the door face and is shaped to have a predetermined relatively large diameter. While the cross section need not be circular, the word diameter is used to indicate an envelope dimension. Although they need not be so shaped, this and other portions of the handle or knob are comprised of surfaces of revolution concentric with the axis 13. The outer portion of the handle or knob in this design has a relatively sharply curved marginal edge 28 and a substantially conical adjacent portion diminishing in diameter as it extends axially inwardly. The outer, relatively large portion 27 merges wi h an intermediate, relatively reduced or small diameter portion 29. The general shape, contour and size of these parts of the handle or knob are such that they can be readily grasped by the hand of a user with the users palm and little finger engaging the outer portion, and with the users index finger and thumb lying easily in the reduced intermediate portion 29, as shown in FIGURE 9.

The intermediate portion in turn merges with an inner portion 31 or skirt. This is of a conical nature expanding radially in an axially inward direction and is of a larger maximum diameter than that of the outer portion 27. The inner portion 31 is designed to abut the users index finger and thumb when the handle or knob is grasped. The inner portion 31 acts as a shield for the users hand and moves with the users hand as the handle or knob is operated. The inner portion 31 is interposed between the users hand and the face of the door and in some respects acts as an escutcheon, not of the usual sort, but as one having no relative movement with respect to the handle. The inner portion 31 conveniently terminate in a rim 32 substantially circular cylindrical in configuration and preferably of a diameter about that of the major portion of the inner section 31 and approximately of the envelope diameter of the users hand when grasping the handle or knob. In practice, this envelope diameter is approximately two and one-half inches, although it can vary either side of this value.

In any event, the arrangement is such that the rim 32 of the inner portion 31 is sufficiently extensive axially as to terminate close to the face 8 of the door, the clearance therebetween being small but varying in amount in accordance with the thickness of the particular door on which the structure happens to be installed. The finish of the handle or knob is generally uniform and thus extends virtually to the outer face 8. Except where they extend to the surface, all of the inner portions of the lock ni are embraced within or are concealed by the handle or knob. The handle or knob, when manufacture is finished, is in one piece. Hence, the handle or knob as an operator and as an enclosure can be referred to as a unified trim. Escutcheons or roses can be used with or in addition to this handle or knob if desired for aesthetic or decorative elfect, but they are not mechanically or functionally necessary since the unified trim, in addition to its own new functions, also incorporates the functions normally carried out by a separate handle or knob and a separate rose or escutcheon.

The outer portion 27 of the handle or knob is provided with an inwardly extending, preferably conical end face 33 leading to a central aperture 34 defined by a flange 36. A support sleeve 37 is arranged closely to overlie the spindle 14 and to support the handle or knob. The support sleeve 37 is approximately circular cylindrical in its intermediate portion and at one end has a first support device or flange 38 extending outwardly in a conical fashion so as to abut the end wall 33. The support device or flange 38 is fastened to the end wall 33 by brazing or the like. In one manner of manufacture, the support sleeve 37 and the handle or knob are made in one piece, in which case the flange 38 and the wall 33 merge. Additionally, the support sleeve 37 is provided with a second support device 39 in the form of a number of individual fingers 41. Each of these fingers extends radially outward in a plane normal to the axis 13 and engages the inner face of h wall of the intermediate portion 29. In this fashion, the handle or knob is supported at two axially spaced locations, so that forces on the handle or knob are transmitted through the support sleeve and the spindle 1 To locate the handle or knob axially with respect to the door face, the support sleeve 37 between the fingers 41 is provided with axially extending stops 43 terminating close to the end of the hub 12. Axial movement of the support sleeve inwardly toward the door is prevented by abutment of the stops 43 against the end of the hub 12. Clearances are exaggerated in the drawing. Clearance between the stops 43 and the hub preferably is less than the space between the rim 32 and the door face 8 in installations in which the handle moves relative to the door. Because of the stop and hub relationship, the rim 32 can be held away from contact with the door face. If the door is thin so that the mounting plate occupies the broken line position shown in the lower part of FIGURE 1", the plate 16 carries one or several separate intervening shims (not shown) but in the location of the flange 44 as shown in FIGURE 5.

The spindle 14 has a catch 51 of a recognized sort. For economy and clarity of illustration, this is shown rotated ninety degrees out of its actual position. The catch 51 includes a perforated plate movable transversely of the spindle 14 and supported by the walls of spindle slots. A spring 52 anchored in the spindle wall engages and urges the catch radially outwardly to extend partly through an opening 53 in the support sleeve. When the support sleeve is installed on the spindle, the knob catch is depressed and then springs out into the opening 53 and holds the parts against relative axial and rotary motion. The intermediate portion 29 of the handle or knob has an aperture 54 therein so that a tool can be inserted through it to depress the catch within the support sleeve and permit separation of the parts when desired.

In many instances, the lock unit may have a key or button mechanism. If a pin tumbler unit is to be accommodated, the support sleeve 37 is provided with an opening 56 to receive the noncircular portion of a pin tumbler cylinder unit 57 having a key receptor 58 occupying the opening 34. The cylinder unit has a drive bar 59 connected with the lock unit. The drive bar is a flat strap and abuts the edge of the center hole in the catch 51 when the tumbler unit is in locked position so that catch 51 cannot be depressed to release the handle or knob unless the lock mechanism is in unlocked condition. In unlocked condition, the bar 59 is out of the way and the catch 51 can be depressed.

The support sleeve 37 is provided with an indented lug 61 serving as a rest for the cylinder unit and is deformed to provide an outwardly extending bulge 62. When the handle or knob and the pin tumbler cylinder unit are assembled or separated, the bulge in the support sleeve is sufiicient to admit of lateral shifting of the cylinder unit 57 to occupy the opening 56 and to occupy the opening 34.

Although the unified trim and the spindle engage each other at two axially spaced locations and are solid and firm for all ordinary and proper uses, occasionally a vandal endeavors to destroy the lock unit in some fashion to gain access to the other side of the door His effort may take the form of a side blow or an abnormal radial pressure or load on the unified trim To resist an abnormal radial force, the mounting plate 16 is extended to provide a circular cylindrical flange 64 extending inan axial direction and closely underlying or telescoped with the rim 32 of the unified trim.

Under ordinary radial loads, the flange 64 and the rim 32 are not in physical contact, but are slightly spaced, so that they may move freely with respect to each other. Under an abnormal radial load, however, the entire unified trim may be sprung or deflected eccentrically of the axis 13 for a short distance until the rim 32 comes into physical abutment in a radial direction with the flange 64. The unified trim is then supported in at least three widely spaced axial points, one of them closely adjacent to the door. Thus even extreme and abnormal radial forces are firmly withstood. When the excessive force is removed, there is suflicient resiliency in the unified trim so that the rim 32 restores to its original position slightly spaced from the flange 64.

The overlap or telescoping between the rim 32 and the flange 64 provides for substantial relative axial movement to allow for varying door thicknesses from time to time or in different installations. The close radial spacing between the rim and the flange tends to reduce the area for air flow through the lock unit.

The unified trim pursuant to the invention can be made of a number of materials. Metals are customarily the most widely used at present, and certain plastics are sometimes employed. A particular problem arises with some materials when the inner portion 31 of the unified trim has a bell-like configuration. A sharp knock against the trim causes a bell-like sound. If this is objected to, I provide a sound deadener. The interior of the unified trim may be coated with a sound deadening material. Alternatively, as shown in FIGURE 8, damping blocks 71 of fiber or rubber can be inserted between the fingers 41.

There are instances wherein the flange 64 does not lie within the rim 32. As shown in FIGURE 6, the mounting plate 77 is extended radially and carries a small, unobtrusive external flange 78 closely overlying or telescoping with the rim 32. The finish of the flange 78 can be neutral or can contrast or harmonize with any adjacent finish.

As shown in FIGURE 7, there may be provided a small trim ring 81 roughly S-shaped in cross section and underlying the rim and overlying the edge of the mounting plate 82. The trim ring 81 is easily finished and positioned and is effective to transmit abnormal radial loads from the rim to the plate 82.

With the unified trim as disclosed herein, it is feasible to install the lock unit early in the building operation and to provide a temporary handle or knob, for example, of plastic and having no finish requirements. Incidental nicks or gouges or splashes of plaster or paint are immaterial. When the job has been completed, the temporary handle or knob is removed and the unified trim is installed. This conceals all or most of the rest of the lock unit and presents the finish trim in pristine condition.

What is claimed is:

1. A unified trim for door lock units comprising a lock unit hub; a mounting plate encompassing said hub; means on said hub engaging said mounting plate; a spindle concentric with said hub; a support sleeve concentric with said spindle; support devices outstanding from the opposite ends of said support sleeve; and a handle at one of its ends engaging one of said support devices, at an intermediate portion engaging the other of said support devices, and at the other of its ends in potential engagement with said mounting plate.

2. A unified trim for door lock units comprising a spindle; a handle having an outer end portion, an inner end portion and an intermediate portion; means engaging said outer end portion and said intermediate portion for interconnecting said handle and said spindle; and means concentric with said spindle and normally spaced from said inner end portion for supporting said inner end portion upon extraordinary transverse deflection of said inner end portion.

3. A unified trim for door lock units comprising a lock unit spindle, a hub in bearing engagement with said spindle, means adapted to engage a door for supporting said hub, a door handle engaging said spindle, a rim on the axially inner end of said door handle, means supporting said door handle with said rim adjacent a face of said door, and means on said door handle in bearing abutment with said hub for preventing axial movement of said rim against said door face.

4. A unified trim for door lock units comprising lock unit mechanism adapted to project outwardly along an axis normal to the face of a door, a hollow knob having an outer enlarged portion, an intermediate reduced portion and an inner enlarged portion, and means for mountin-g said knob on said mechanism including a support sleeve disposed within said knob concentric with said axis, a first supporting device at one end of said support sleeve engaging said outer enlarged portion, a second supporting device at the other end of said support sleeve engaging said intermediate reduced portion, and means on said support sleeve at said other end thereof abutting said mechanism in an inward axial direction.

5. As an article of manufacture, a door handle having a hollow body entirely defined on the exterior by a surface of revolution about an axis and having a first inwardly tapering grasping portion joined to an outwardly tapering second portion containing means adapting said handle to be disposed closely adjacent a door panel, said second portion having an extent greater than the envelope diameter of a human hand grasping said first portion.

6. A unified trim for a door panel having a planar face and having a bore therethrough, said trim comprising a spindle projecting from said bore, means for mounting said spindle on said door panel for rotation about an axis normal to said planar face, a mounting plate overlying said bore, said mounting plate having an outer circular rim abutting said door panel, and a knob secured to and rotatable with said spindle about said axis, said knob having a continuous outer surface of revolution about said axis extending from the outer end thereof to a point adjacent said door panel and including an outer portion of large diameter tapering to an intermediate portion of substantially smaller diameter and to an inner portion of substantially said large diameter disposed immediately adjacent to and axially telescoped with said outer circular rim of said mounting plate.

(References on following page) 7 8 References Cited 2,803,957 8/1957 George 2921 69 X P NT 3,065,014 11/1962 Russell 292356 UNITED STA TES ATE S 3,077,100 2/1963 Gerlach 292-347 X 32 3 3,099,472 7/1963 Kelsen 2 92-169 m 1 68 1965 9/1915 Kemble et a1. 3, 90, 4 6/ Russell 292 347 3/1932 Vernooy 292 357 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1932 Kollmar 292347 X 311,320 3/1919 Germany. 13/1939 Wiebe 292347 875,933 8/1961 Great Britain. 8/1942 Schlage 292347 6/1944 Best -292 347 X 10 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

10/1953 Birbaum 292356 1/1957 Ems RICHARD E. MOORE, Asszstant Exam ner- 

5. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A DOOR HANDLE HAVING A HOLLOW BODY ENTIRELY DEFINED ON THE EXTERIOR BY A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION ABOUT AN AXIS AND HAVING A FIRST INWARDLY TAPERING GRASPING PORTION JOINED TO AN OUTWARDLY TAPERING SECOND PORTION CONTAINING MEANS ADAPTING SAID HANDLE TO BE DISPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT A DOOR PANEL, SAID SECOND PORTION HAVING AN EXTENT GREATER THAN THE ENVELOPE DIAMETER OF A HUMAN HAND GRASPING SAID FIRST PORTION. 